Do you use an anchor while fishing in your yak? Where do you secure it and is it safe to use? I got a small 1.5lb anchor at West Marine and would like to know the proper way to secure and use it in a yak.

Roop

11-15-2001, 07:29 AM

This is great insurance when you're fishing tidal areas that are flooding as well as wanting to hold yourself in a spot in a current.

I use an old window sash counter weight, have a carabiner clipped to the bow & stearn hand loops, run the line through those and back to a cleat I installed next to the cockpit.

I've experimented and if I anchor in any current, I can just pull it up and let it hang off the stearn until I'm out of the current and can drop the anchor & swing around to grab the line and throw the anchor behind my seat.

The black resin cleats are about $.50 at any boat shop, bought stainless steel screws, washers & nuts at Home Depot.
I would definitely suggest you use a backing plate on the inside of the yak.

JimW

11-15-2001, 11:08 AM

I use one of those small 1-3lb collapsible anchors that opens in to a grappeling hook. I attach it to the yak by clamping one of these (http://www.sears.com/sr/product/summary/productsummary.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1441502264.100 5840039@@@@&BV_EngineID=efadcchleilhfbggcmgclchl.0&vertical=SEARS&pid=00965926000&sid=I0033900010000200088) to the gunwale. What's nice is you can position the clamp to change the attitude of the yak in wind and current, you can also separate from the anchor real quick if you need to.

Penguin

11-16-2001, 11:34 AM

1.5# sounds a little light...I'd go with the 3# folding grapple (Cabela's TM-31-3434) rigged like Roopmeister described...If you are in current it's nice to be "steamlined" (anchor line from bow or stern)...if you secure it at the gunnel you'll be slightly sideways but then again, you can tie a float to the end of the line so if you get into a big one you can uncleat and toss the anchor line over the side and retrieve it later...
You can spend the entire season "learning" and "tweeking" and it gets better and better...Bring a note pad and jot down ideas as they occur so they won't escape!
...and HAVE FUN!!!